The Only Thing That Matters
by HarrySavesMe
Summary: Danny Williams wakes up, chained in a basement and Grace Williams is kidnapped. Can Steve find them in time to save them or will one of them lose the only thing that matters?
1. Chapter 1: Trapped

**Hello! I apologize for being gone so long. I have a new story for you! This is my first Hawaii 5-0 story. Please read, review if you would like, and enjoy! Thank you.**

 **Chapter 1: Trapped**

He woke up with a knife sharp pain in the ribs, gasping shallow breaths of freezing air. It was black and he was on his side on a hard frozen floor. A recent blow to the head throbbed delicately behind his left ear to the beat of his heart, which was steadily increasing in tempo. It was hard to remember what happened. Everything was muddled and he felt dizzy. Slowly he pushed himself up off the damp icy concrete onto his knees. His right hand dropped down to grab his gun from his holster, an instinct born from many years as a detective, but found it empty.

"Shit..." he said his voice sounding loud in the dead silence. His eyes began to adjust in the darkness and he started to discern shapes on the opposite wall. The room wasn't very big and was rectangular in shape. He noted a dim strip of light to the left that outlined where the door was. As far as he knew it was the only one. Danny moved to get up, but he heard a loud clank and felt something tug his right leg.

He fell back on all fours and felt the metal cuff dig into his ankle. It was attached to a rusted chain that was looped over an old metal pipe. One look told him he couldn't break it with force. The chain was too heavy, the cuff too thick. He was trapped. He shivered; it was incredibly cold, freezing actually, which stood out in sharp contrast with Hawaii's climate…if he was still in Hawaii. How long was he out? He felt his pockets for his phone but found that his kidnappers have taken everything.

The only question now was when were they going to come back? The more he blinked the more he could see what was around him. He noted some old metal shelves built into the walls containing a smattering of random junk. He saw tools and hockey gear. A helmet, cleaning supplies, twine, and duct tape. His gaze zeroed in on the tools. If only he could reach them. He crawled across the floor, trying to drag the chain quietly and reached as far as he could. He was a few feet too short. He tried moving in a wide arc to see if any angle worked. It didn't. Cursing under his breath he moved back to where he woke up. What was he doing before he was caught? He closed his eyes and concentrated.

He remembered he was home. It was Saturday. He was at home watching a game on T.V. Then there was a knock. He assumed it was Steve who said he might drop by. But Steve usually let himself in... He opened his eyes and was back in the basement again. He was hit when he opened the door. Some cop he was…letting them get the drop on him like that. He sighed in frustration and shivered. He was really really cold, he even saw his breath. For body heat he started rocking back and forth.

He needed to be ready to act if any opportunity of escape presented itself. He knew there were only two ways he could probably escape. Way one was if 5-0 found him and way two was if his kidnappers were deeply stupid and made a wrong move. He stopped breathing when he heard footsteps overhead. Then his heart rate sped up. The footsteps crossed the room and there was a creak of another door. Then Danny heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps descending a wooden stair case, moving in his direction. Danny, bracing himself, knew he was about to find out just how stupid his kidnappers were…if at all.


	2. Chapter 2: Questions

**Chapter 2: Questions**

A man entered the basement wearing a black coat. He was obviously not from the island, because he wore pants too and boots. He pulled a dangling chain Danny hadn't noticed before and a dim glow emitted from a single hanging light bulb overhead. It swung and cast shadows over the man's face. Danny blinked in the sudden light and gazed up at his kidnapper. In that moment his heart stopped. He recognized him, and he also knew 5-0 would not. More bad news. He was a man he helped put away in Jersey. A man who was involved with a previous kidnapping of his. One where he lost his partner Grace, on the day of the 9-11 attack. His heart thudded an odd rhythm, it was a terrible terrible memory. How did he get out?

"Williams" he said inclining his head in mock welcome. "Thirteen years really ages a guy, huh?" Danny glared at him.

"The same to you." He said in a sharp tone that didn't match the panic that clouded his brain.

"Nice to know you had a good nap and now you're ready to play."

"Play? What game are we playing?" Danny said. Though a thrill of fear made his heart race and muscles tense, he knew it was essential to keep face. To act blasé, to shrug it off because if he didn't this guy would tear him apart.

"You've played before and won." He said. Suddenly there were more footsteps. Danny's mouth was dry but he cleared it with a small cough.

"Well, that sounds like me," he said cockily. The man laughed but it was devoid of humor. It was more like an insane laugh from someone who has nothing to lose. It was unnerving. Two burly Hawaiian native men came through the same door. One had a metal folded chair under his arm.

"So what's the game, I'm dying to find out!" he said, forcing his voice to be calm and confident, quite at odds with racing thoughts. One of the men opened the chair, Danny flinched thinking he was about to hit him with it, but he just slammed it down on the floor. The other stepped up and grabbed Danny by the shoulder to yank him up. He struggled, trying to ram him but then he was kneed in the gut. He doubled over spluttering and the thug dragged him by the hair over to the chair. He dodged when Danny tried to slam him in the face with the back of his head. He forced him to sit in the chair and the other man started to duct tape his arms and legs to it. It was a painful déjà vu for him. He writhed some more trying to break free and earned a punch to the jaw. The pain of it made his eyes water and he slumped back in the chair, dazed. He tasted blood and turned to spit it on the floor.

"Can't win the game if it's three to one, not a fair fight," he said a little breathless after the blow to the gut. The two new men spoke to each other in Hawaiian and laughed cruelly. It always made Danny feel nervous when people did that because he had no idea what was being said. One took out a sleek blank phone and turned away to make a call.

"Enough games, I have questions for you" said the boss.

"Shoot" said Danny, keeping up the charade.

"You and 5-0 recently commandeered a fine shipment of coke…taken from a local drug lord you tangled with. Gabriel, was it?"

Danny swallowed as a chill rippled through him. "Now I have a lot of influence you see, and with this new found influence a little birdy told me that it's not at HPD headquarters. It's stashed somewhere…" he broke off and a positively deadly look crossed his face. " _Where_ is it?"

"I don't know," said Danny, trying to sound angry and annoyed to make it more convincing. "Do you think that navy seal tells me everything? No! I can't help you." There was a beat of silence.

"Can't or won't?" he asked. One of the men moved closer and cracked his giant knuckles. Danny cringed mentally. Pain was coming.


	3. Chapter 3: Pain

**Chapter 3: Pain**

He considered saying won't but kept his head.

"Can't" Danny said, a bite finally entering his blow-it-off tone.

"Okay then," he said and inclined his head to the man who cracked his knuckles. Before Danny could do anything a crushing blow smashed into his face. He groaned in pain but didn't speak. The man hit him again and he tasted more blood. His eyes stung and his face swelled. He was reminded again of the day when the original gang this guy was in beat him up in Jersey. He was taped to a chair then as well, and Grace… The next blow came to the gut again and he moaned and gasped. He felt sick to his stomach and tasted bile in his mouth with the blood. He spat again. He knew how this would go. As soon as he told them the would kill him, leverage gone.

"Danny," the boss said. "You know that's a great name." Danny panted, blood trickling down his face. "I went for a tour in prison you see, and all that time I kept thinking of that name: Danny Williams. It became a sort of inner mantra. A promise that I would see you again and make you pay." Another blow came to the opposite side of his face; straight at the ear. He clenched his teeth so he wouldn't bite his tongue.

Danny fell back and heard a high pitched ringing in his ear. He was disoriented, every part of him ached, and he knew they were just warming up. If one got tired the other one could start. He felt cold when he wondered if they would start breaking his bones. If this was more about revenge then drugs, he knew he was dead either way no matter if he talked or not…unless one of those two options for escape came up. What he wouldn't give to see that navy seal. But how would 5-0 find him? Hopefully the DNA left at his house would point them to his case from the past. Steve knew the story. He would know this was about revenge, if there was any DNA…

"When I was liberated by some good friends of mine, I started doing some homework on you. Daaamn this is quite the set up huh? You've been living in paradise Danny…" There was a black coldness in his voice when he said his name. For once Danny held his tongue. He sensed that things were getting more serious.

"I also learned that you sometimes go by another name…Danno." Danny blinked and suddenly everything changed; like turning on a dime. A whole new kind of cold gripped him and he momentarily lost focus. The shock of what was happening froze him in place. Instead of a racing heart it seemed to stop in his chest, to drag him to a halt by the terrible reality he didn't piece together until now. Grace…Grace…

"I guess that old partner of yours didn't make it, felt like you had to honor her didn't you? Maybe you even blame yourself for her death?"

"No" said Danny but though he intended to sound fierce it came out faint. "I blame you, you sick son of a bitch!" His voice twisted in odd ways. The huge frog in his throat distorted his voice as it choked him. The man with the cell phone came back and handed it to his boss.

"So Danno, when we picked you up we cloned your phone. About an hour ago we got some texts from a dame named Rachel about a little girl named Grace." _No…no…no…no._ Danny couldn't breathe. He could feel the blood drain from his face again as the cold pressed on him with a new ferocity. His muscles locked into place. "She wanted to know if daddy could pick up Gracie tonight, so we set up a meet and guess what we caught?"

"No…" Danny said aloud without any memory of choosing to do so. "No…"

"Yes, we have Grace and we can be very creative when we need to be." Suddenly a survival instinct, wild and terrible surged through him with adrenaline and his frozen limbs unlocked. The fight was back. He struggled and thrashed.

"Let her go, let he go you bastards! I'll kill you. I swear I'll kill you!" He shouted. Someone clocked him again and the chair flipped over onto the ground. Danny's skull hit the cement and little stars popped in his vision. He shook his head and the world spun. He could barely hear what they were saying, like he was submerged underwater. Someone grabbed the chain and dragged him across the floor like a fish on a hook. He jerked, trying to break free from the chair and managed to get one arm free. He flailed, punching the air around him hoping one punch would make contact, but he was outnumbered. The two muscled men grabbed him and pinned his arm behind his back. Twisting it so it hurt and he worried they would break it. He was upright in the chair again.

"Maybe your memory is a bit sharper now. Where is it?" Danny heaved heaving breaths. The sudden pain in his side felt like a white hot knife. He was certain he broke a few ribs. It was hard to breathe. Also his vision was blurry after his head hit the cement. He could barely concentrate on his kidnapper.

"Mo..Molo…k" he said weakly. "It's on Molokai."

"It's nice to know that the blow to your head helped you remember." He took out his own cell phone, dialed and handed it to one of the native Hawaiians. "Where on Molokai?" he said patting Danny on the shoulder. He cringed in pain at the contact.

"A…a warehouse…near…near the airport" he said.

"How convenient?" he said and turned to go.

"Wait!" Danny panted. "Grace…where's Grace?"

"Consider her to be an eye for an eye. You killed my friends and I get to kill her."

"No!" Danny bellowed. "No! Kill me! Take me instead. She has nothing to do with this. She's an innocent little girl." Danny's voice broke with emotion.

"See Danno, hitting you doesn't do anything. It didn't last time either. But you're a sucker when it comes to those you care about. It worked in 2001, it's going to end the same way now."

"No! Please…I'm begging you.." One of the men hit him again in the wind pipe to shut him up. He coughed and spluttered but persisted in his plea. "P..lease.." he rasped. His eye was swollen shut at this point and blood dripped down his face. They all turned to leave.

"You better hope you gave me the right address Danno for her sake….because if you didn't, you're going to be finding pieces of that little girl for weeks." The door slammed shut and all three were gone. Danny yelled a wordless agonized sound.

"No…" he moaned, voice catching. "Grace…Grace." He leaned his face into his shoulder as tears forced their way from his clenched shut eyes. He sobbed, terrified for his little girl. The only thing that mattered. 5-0 was their only hope now.


	4. Chapter 4: Back in the Game

**Chapter 4- Back in the Game**

It was painful to cry but he couldn't stop. It was the fear racing through him, taking all his energy…his fight. His throat and face burned though the tears seemed to freeze on his face. His broken ribs made every sob hurt. But Grace…no physical pain could match this. He knew with every cell in his body that if her heart stopped beating his would follow. He couldn't imagine life without her. The pain of it would kill him. So he had to save them both; it was up to him.

His breathing hitched and he tried to control it. He shook his head to clear it and wiped his eyes with the shoulder of his sweat stained shirt. He willed himself to be in the game, to be a player. With surprising strength he seemed to be saving, he got his arms free. They stung from the duct tape as he clumsily freed his legs from the chair. When he tried to stand he fell hard, the broken rib singing; an obstacle he would need to overcome to escape.

He crawled toward the tools dragging the chair in his wake. He used it to reach the shelf and knocked items to the floor. Behind the toolbox that took four hits to fall, he spotted a crow bar. With an agonizing movement he lunged at the shelf and used the chair to dislodge the crowbar. He went down again with tortured yell but managed to keep his head from making contact with the concrete again. When he laid hands on the crow bar he used the chain to drag himself back to the pipe on the wall. He stood up and leaned against the wall for support. He raised the crow bar and started to beat the pipe where one piece was attached to another. After many excruciating blows that he lost count of, the pipe finally broke free. Water flooded the floor as he pulled the chain free. His grip tightened on the crow bar and he gathered up the chain.

Willing himself to ignore the stabbing from the broken bones, he crept to the door and peered through the crack. No one was there. He made it through the door and up the stairs. He moved with silent careful steps. His vision zeroed in like a tunnel-a product of the fight or flight. He felt raw, pushed past endurance, he was a deadly machine and he knew he would not hesitate to kill any of his kidnappers. His mind was fixed on Grace. Grace his baby, his only child. He spat and used his rage to fuel his advance; to give him energy.

Around a corner he found a grimy kitchen. Good for him and bad for the kidnappers. He saw a knife block and pulled out a handful of knives. Around another corner was the living room. He recognized one of the kidnappers on the couch; not an innocent. He jumped out to surprise the kidnapper who gave a start and jumped to his feet. With deft skill, Danny threw a knife at him like a ninja star. It landed in his chest and he dropped like a stone writhing and gasping. Danny hit him with the crowbar and knocked him out. He didn't look back as he staggered out the front door.

The front yard and road were bright compared to the dim house but his vision blurred. His adrenaline was fading fast and he felt so dizzy he stopped, falling to his knees. He held one arm tight to his chest holding the ribs in place. He his vision blurred again, almost fading to black. He knew he was about to pass out. The ear ringing was back but he also picked up a familiar screech of tires and a shriek of police sirens. _Finally_ …he thought, exhausted. Then the silver Camaro flew around the corner. Danny felt an odd floating feeling then hit the ground, feeling the grass on his face.

"Danny!" Steve yelled as he sprinted toward him. He skidded to a stop and dropped down next to Danny. He was wearing a bulletproof vest and sweat glistened on his forehead. "Hang in there buddy, we've got you."


	5. Chapter 5: Trust Me

**Chapter 5: Trust Me**

"Is Grace here?" came Chin's voice sharp and nearby. Danny managed to shake no.

"Steve, he's got her…he's gonna…" he couldn't finish. Tears sprang to his eyes again from the combined pain and terror. Already so much time was wasted. He heard a pained sob and realized it was coming from him. Steve gripped his shoulder.

"I know Danno, I know. It's alright, we'll get her." He was consoling him. He heard an ambulance and many feet hit the ground.

"Bring me…" said Danny. "Don't let them…" he trailed off.

"No Danno, trust me, I'll get her. Trust me…" was the last thing he registered before the black engulfed him. He heard the siren again what felt like seconds later and woke to deafening chaos around him. He saw Kono and a bunch of EMTs. She was holding his hand.

"Grace…Grace…" he said. He sounded drunk.

"Calm down detective…stay still, you'll make it worse" came a voice over the din that was the combined wail of the siren and everybody shouting to each other. He felt an oxygen mask and breathed clean air. Then he tore it off.

"Danny!" Kono said, close to him. "Please calm down…" she didn't understand the fear he felt for his daughter, calm wasn't an option. "Steve is going now, he has a lead." That did lessen the fear slightly and he stopped fighting. Someone pressed his ribs and he jerked in pain. He felt the stab of a needle on his right wrist; an IV. He also was suddenly colder. They had cut off his shirt. "I'll tell you the moment she's safe." Kono said in a gentle voice. He nodded and clenched his eyes shut. She squeezed his hand and he returned the pressure.

"I'm scared Kono…" he said before he could stop himself.

"I know, Danny. We all feel it too."

"Thank you," he managed. It was the first time he had a change to say it. 5-0 came through and saved him, again. The question was if they could save her too.

"Danny, Rachel is safe, she's back at HPD," Kono assured him, keeping up the conversation. Danny nodded, relieved that she wasn't also a hostage.

Something in his IV dragged him back to unconsciousness and all went silent again.


	6. Chapter 6: Wake

**Chapter 6: Wake**

"Grace is safe," he heard the next time he woke. "She's here." Was it a dream? It felt surreal. Impossible. He opened his eyes and saw Steve rushing through the doors in the hospital with Grace in his arms. Danny almost passed out again from relief. He ripped the tubes from his arm and staggered toward him.

"Grace," he moaned "baby…" He saw her face, perfect and undamaged but not awake. Steve touched her to his extended arms so it was like Danny held her but Steve supported all the weight. "Gracie wake up…Danno's got you." She didn't stir. Danny felt a thrill of fear. "Is she…"

"No" said Steve sharply, "She's just knocked out." Doctors came in and pulled her away. It hurt him to see he go but he let them take her. Steve restrained him even when he didn't try to fight. "Come on Danno," he said tugging him back to the bed. He moved like a sleepwalker. "When she's awake, I'll tell you." Danny focused on Steve's determined expression.

"What happened to the kidnappers?" he asked.

"They'll never bother you again," he said in a steely voice. Danny's mouth twitched in a partial smile and then he rested his head back. His brief trip out of bed made his head spin. It confirmed his suspicion that he had a concussion. He opened his eyes again and realized he must have passed out again. It felt like he was rising from the dead. He felt like he was floating. He looked round and saw Steve in a fresh shirt sitting in a chair next to his bed. His hands were interlocked and resting on his chin. He smiled when Danny met his gaze. "Welcome back detective." Danny blinked drowsily.

"Hey Steve," he replied.

"You're on a bunch of drugs right now, that's why you feel so doped out. Are you in pain?" he asked. He didn't feel any, it was a relief.

"No," he said. He processed Steve's expression through his drugged daze and he felt more alert. Steve was still tense. He knew that look.

"Grace?" he asked.

"She's alive Danny, she's safe." Danny sighed but the wording alarmed him.

"What's wrong?" he demanded. Steve looked uncomfortable.

"Well, she's…still out cold," he said. Danny gulped.

"For how long?" he asked. Steve paused.

"A day," he said finally. Danny felt his stomach twist. He cleared his throat.

"Please?" he said and Steve understood. He had a wheelchair waiting.

She was upstairs in a ward with other unconscious patients. Her room was small but bright. She looked like a doll, perfect and peacefull…but vacant. Steve walked in behind him. Danny wheeled as close as he could and with a shaking hand took hers. "Grace..?" he said in a desolate voice. "Danno's here," he said kissing he hand. He stood shakily. She had one tube in her arm, an IV. She was very still. Danny looked up and could barely see Steve standing on the opposite side of her hospital bed through the water in his eyes. It blurred his vision.

"Please.." he whispered to her. Carefully he pulled her over so she was resting in his arms. He cradled her head. "Please wake up honey…" he pled in a broken voice. He buried his face in her hair and kissed it. Steve put a hand on his shoulder, comforting him, steadying him. Grief crushed Danny more powerful than it had in the past few days. This wasn't something he could fight, or save her from. He was helpless. He felt like an enormous weight was choking him, pressing on his chest. Silent tears sliced down his face. He rested his forehead on hers. He couldn't breathe. What felt like from a long way away he registered that he was having a panic attack. There was a gasping noise.

"Danny," Steve said and he sounded far away. And then even more faintly he heard Steve say something turned away from him. It sounded like "he's hyperventilating…" A strong grip pulled him away from Grace who still lied perfectly still. Words couldn't reach him now. The emotion could not be described by them. Other people were suddenly there, putting him back in the wheelchair. There was a stab of pain to his shoulder and after a few minutes the hysteria died down. He quieted.

"It's a combination of shock and PTSD…." He heard someone say faintly to Steve. He couldn't concentrate on it. He was forced not to feel by whatever they gave him. He felt hallow, calm but not peaceful. Not relieved.

"We'll come back later," he heard Steve tell him as the wheelchair moved down the hall. After that all he knew was small indefinite periods of time between waking and drug induced sleep. He didn't know for how long or how many times. He sat next to Grace when he was awake, eyes trained on her face. It was the longest two days of his life. The 5-0 team took turns sitting with him but he barely focused on them. Only one thing mattered.

And then after what felt like a thousand prayers and years her eyes opened. Danny was slowly slipping into a light doze in his chair, but jerked upright when he saw.

"Steve!" Danny yelled as he stood up and bent over her.

"Danno?" she asked in a tired voice.

"Yes monkey, I'm here," he said cupping her face with his hand. "You scared daddy so much. I love you. I'm sorry," he said. He kissed her forehead and felt his pulse in his ears. Steve came in from the hall and rushed to her bedside.

"Thank god," he said, clapping Danny on the shoulder. "I'll call the others. So glad you're awake Gracie," he said and kissed her forehead too. Danny sat on her bed, holding her hand. He thought he could stare at her face forever, relief making him feel lightheaded.

"I love you Danno," she said in her high pitched voice.

"As I do you," he said losing composure a little. "Always."

"Daddy why are you crying?" she asked sitting up. She looked scared. He imagined the bandages on his face wouldn't help. Danny hugged her tightly.

"Daddy's just so happy Grace. These are happy tears," he said wiping his face.

"Don't worry," she said kissing his cheek.

"No monkey, I'm good. I'm good." After a long moment he let go and smiled down at her, a violent joy surging within him. She was alright. It was over.


	7. Chapter 7: Family

**Chapter 7: Family**

Later Chin and Kono arrived with Kamekona. They all had gifts for her; flowers and balloons. Predictably, Kamekona brought shrimp.

"It's what I do brah," He told Danny, who laughed for the first time in a while.

"What's funny?" Steve asked as he came through the door holding a giant panda stuffed animal. He gave it to a delighted Grace and turned to Danny and Kamekona.

"I brought some shrimp, brah. Thought we could make this a real party," he said.

"Excellent," he said and mock punched Danny in the shoulder. It was a weak hit so Danny figured he still looked pretty beat up.

"When can I leave?" Grace asked the crowd around her.

"Let's see what the doctor says, okay monkey?" said Danny, sitting back down on her bed.

"Yeah," said Steve, suddenly at their side. "Danno might have to be here longer you know. You could beat him out of here." Grace looked back at her father.

"Are you okay daddy?" she asked, looking worried. Danny put on a carefree face so she wouldn't worry.

"Okay? I'm more than okay! I just have a bit of healing to do."

"Nothing can stop this guy," said Steve proudly putting his hand on his shoulder. Danny smiled and looked around at all of them feeling fond of all of them in this moment, even Kamekona.

"It's true," he said, not thinking of himself but of everyone here who supported him, who raced to his aid. Nothing could stop this family.


End file.
